Many people experience back pain. For some, this back pain is a temporary condition is due in part to a lack of mobilization of the back vertebrae and the associated muscles of the back. Those who suffer this type of back pain often describe the condition as stiffness in their back.
Many find relief from this condition by way of therapies such as chiropractic therapies, and massage therapies. After therapy, patients often feel an instant decrease in back stiffness (e.g., an instant improvement in back mobility), and a corresponding decrease in back pain. Many find this condition to be recurring because of work related activities and the like. Therapy is often repeated as needed by the patient.
Chiropractic therapies, massage therapies, and other therapies are not always conveniently available when needed and their costs can be prohibitive for some. Accordingly, several apparatus and devices have been offered to consumers for self-induced therapies or for therapies which can be applied by a non-professional person including many apparatus and devices designed for massaging the back. These devices include the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,221,785 by Douglas offers an apparatus having operating handles and a plurality of weights. U.S. Pat. No. 3,616,794 by Gromala offers an apparatus having a shaft with handgrips. U.S. Pat. No. 3,705,579 by Morini et al. offers a device having a sharp-edged narrowed-portion formed by two truncated cones and spherical ends. U.S. Pat. No. 3,750,654 by Shui offers a device having flared end portions. U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,800 by Stilson offers a device having spherical ends. U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,603 by Yasui offers a device having an elongated spherical shape with a sharp-edged groove and substantially sharp-edged ends. U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,900 by Masuda offers an apparatus having a longitudinal operating shaft. U.S. Pat. No. 6,129,687 by Powell et al. offers a device having two elongated spherical-shaped containers with protrusions. U.S. Pat. No. D264,625 by Shiu offers a device having two ends formed as elliptical bodies of revolution. U.S. Pat. No. D492,791 by Alexander offers a device having spherical ends.
The devices and apparatus cited above and other devices and apparatus currently known suffer from one or more shortcomings when used by a clothed person for the purpose of conveniently and effectively mobilizing his or her back from the top of the buttocks to the base of the neck. These shortcomings include creating creases and the like in clothing during use, catching and stretching of clothing during use, lack of adequate engagement of the back when used near the shoulders, lack of axial stability when used on common floor coverings, lack of roll path stability when used on common floor coverings, inability to effectively mobilize the back from the top of the buttocks to the base of the neck, excessive pressure on the back during use, applying high pressure directly to the spine and its associated soft tissues, rigid parts proximate and thus potentially contacting sensitive back areas, rigid edges that movably contact sensitive areas of the body at high pressures and without visibility during use, sharp edges that movably contact sensitive areas of the body at high pressures and without visibility during use, making necessary compromises to cater to multiple areas of the body or multiple purposes.
Therefore, for many sufferers of back stiffness, it is desirable to develop a system for back mobilization that conveniently and effectively mobilizes the back of a clothed person from the top of the buttocks to the base of the neck while overcoming the shortcomings inherent in current offerings.